MATTIS
Mattis is a surname of German, English and Hebrew origin, arising as a patronymic derivative of the given name Matthias (or Matthew). The Hebrew personal name Mattityahu translates to “gift of Yahweh” or “gift of God” and entered Christian nomenclature through the Greek Matthaios and the Latin Matthaeus. In medieval English usage, the form Mattis was adopted to signify a son or descendant of a man named Matthias or Matthew.
The surname appears in contemporary records from the late 12th century. The earliest documented instance is that of Alan Mathew in the Assize Rolls of Cambridge, dated 1260, during the reign of King Henry I, the first of the plantagenet monarchs. Earlier mentions of the given name are found in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Matthaeus for priests, while in 1382 the name Heinrich Matthaus of Uberlingen, Germany, appears among medieval civic records. A 1395 reference to John Mathows of Whitby, England, and a 1379 Poll Tax roll entry for patronymic Hugh Mathewman demonstrate the widespread use of the name across Christendom.
In England, the name was further popularised by its connection to biblical saints and devout Christian families. The naming tradition, common in the Middle Ages, was employed in the hope that children would inherit the saint’s protective patronage. As a result, the surname proliferated throughout Europe in its various spellings, of which there are well over two hundred and fifty. French variants such as Mathieu, Matisse and Matteus coexist with English forms like Mathew, Mathes, Mathie and Mathias. Polish usage can be seen in the form Macieiczyk, a diminutive of Matthew. These variations are the product of linguistic adaptation in different regions.
The Hebrew roots of Mattis become particularly evident in Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe, where it emerged in the medieval period. Subsequent migration and the global Jewish diaspora have introduced the surname to Israel and the United States, where it gained further visibility through contemporary figures such as former U.S. Secretary of Defence James Mattis.
In addition to the traditional patronymic suffix of an s (e.g., Mattis, Mattison), other related forms employing -sen or -son (e.g., Mattisens, Mattisson) reveal the surname’s adaptation within Germanic and Scandinavian contexts. Prefixes that mean “son of”, such as Mac- or Mc-, occasionally appear in related surnames, giving rise to variants like McMatthias. These orthographic differences reflect linguistic conventions more than distinct lineages.
Today, Mattis remains a recognised surname across a range of cultures, spanning Christianity and Judaism alike. Its etymological meaning, “gift of God”, continues to resonate with those whose family histories trace back to the medieval usage of the given name Matthew in prayerful or commemorative contexts. Consequently, the surname embodies a rich blend of linguistic heritage and religious devotion that has endured for seven centuries and beyond.
Typical given names associated with the Mattis surname
Male
- Colin
- Darren
- David
- Leon
- Leroy
- Mansfield
- Michael
- Micheal
- Patrick
- Paul
- Richard
- Steven
- Trevor
Female
- Amy
- Angela
- Antoinette
- Beverley
- Dionne
- Geraldine
- Janet
- Lisa
- Lorraine
- Mandy
- Nicola
- Norma
- Pamela
- Patricia
- Pauline
Similar and related surnames
- Maites
- Maiti
- Maity
- Maitz
- Matas
- Mates
- Mati
- Matia
- Matias
- Matic
- Matie
- Maties
- Matik
- Matin
- Matins
- Matis
- Matiti
- Matiu
- Matiz
- Matos
- Mats
- Matt
- Mattai
- Mattas
- Matte
- Mattei
- Matteis
- Mattes
- Mattews
- Mattey
- Matthais
- Mattheis
- Matthes
- Matthis
- Matti
- Mattia
- Mattias
- Mattice
- Mattich
- Mattick
- Matticks
- Mattie
- Mattimes
- Mattin
- Mattins
- Mattio
- Mattit
- Mattix
- Mattos
- Matts
- Mattus
- Matty
- Matus
- Matutis
- Maty
- Matyas
- Matyi
- Matys
- Matyus
- Matz
- Meadows
- Meates
- Meats
- Metais
- Meti
- Metias
- Metti
- Mettias
- Mettis
- Metts
- Metz
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Mattis in...
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There are approximately 401 people named Mattis in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Mattis.
Surname type: Diminutive
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Mattis
- Jim Mattis - 26th United States Secretary of Defense; United States Marine Corps general
- Dwayne Mattis - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.